If you've ever been on Instagram, you've probably seen influencers hawking products—usually weight-loss related—that promise unbelievable results to their thousands and millions of followers. Social media celebrities charge brands big bucks to promote "miracle" products like hair vitamins and detox teas that have not been FDA-approved—and the latest viral health product is being marketed by none other than Kim Kardashian-West, who is reportedly paid over $250,000 per Instagram post.

Kardashian-West took to Instagram this morning to promote "appetite-suppressant" lollipops from the company Flat Tummy Co., which claims the product "maximizes satiety" to reduce your food intake and cravings so you can more easily lose weight.

A post shared by FLAT TUMMY CO (@flattummyco) on May 15, 2018 at 3:02am PDT

Kardashian-West has partnered with the company before to promote meal-replacement shakes, but her latest post quickly garnered backlash across social media, including The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil, who took to Twitter to call Kim "terrible and toxic" for promoting unhealthy weight loss and unrealistic social expectations for young girls.

No. Fuck off. No. You terrible and toxic influence on young girls. I admire their mother’s branding capabilities, she is an exploitative but innovative genius, however this family makes me feel actual despair over what women are reduced to. ☹️ pic.twitter.com/zDPN1T8sBM

"No. Fuck off. No. You terrible and toxic influence on young girls," Jamil wrote in a series of tweets. "I admire (Kim Kardashian-West's) branding capabilities, she is an exploitative but innovative genius, however this family makes me feel actual despair over what women are reduced to."

"MAYBE don’t take appetite suppressors and eat enough to fuel your BRAIN and work hard and be successful. And to play with your kids. And to have fun with your friends. And to have something to say about your life at the end, other than 'I had a flat stomach,'" the actress wrote.

MAYBE don’t take appetite suppressors and eat enough to fuel your BRAIN and work hard and be successful. And to play with your kids. And to have fun with your friends. And to have something to say about your life at the end, other than “I had a flat stomach.” 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XsBM3aFtAQ

Others expressed concern that Kardashian-West's post was particularly inappropriate during Mental Health Awareness Week, when so many people struggle with eating disorders and body dysmorphia.

wow i have lost all respect for Kim Kardashian. promoting appetite suppressants when it’s mental health awareness week?? there are so many people who battle or who have battled with an eating disorder and she is making not eating look like it is “trendy”. disgusting and selfish.

I actually can’t BELIEVE the nerve of Kim Kardashian promoting ‘appetite suppressant lollipops’. her audience is made up of mostly impressionable young people who already have so much pressure on them to look and be perfect, we all deserve so much better

Within 30 minutes of posting the photo promoting the lollipops, Kardashian-West removed the post, but as of this time the social media mogul has not responded to the backlash.

So, what exactly are these lollipops—and are they safe?

Flat Tummy Co.'s latest product is a 35-calorie lollipop that's available in four different "natural colors and flavors": Grape, watermelon, yellow apple, and berry. The company recommends snacking on a maximum of two lollipops per day, and explains that they're "designed to be taken right when you get hit with those mid-morning or late-afternoon cravings."

The first two ingredients on the label are cane sugar and brown rice syrup (which is just another form of sugar). "I wouldn’t exactly call these diet food," says Karen Ansel, MS, RDN, author of Healing Superfoods for Anti-Aging: Stay Younger, Live Longer. "For 35 calories you’d be much better off munching on some fiber-rich crunchy veggies."

No one should think of these as a healthy snack, even if they're touted as a "guilt-free" option, says Keri Gans, MS, RDN, author of The Small Change Diet. "Sure, maybe it does satisfy a craving—because you're having sugar. And if you have a craving for sweets, it would make sense that this might help," she says. "But I would recommend a square of dark chocolate, which has health benefits, rather than grab one of these lollipops."

Other than straight-up sugar, these lollipops also deliver Satiereal, a patented saffron extract—which may actually suppress appetite, says Ansel. Keyword: May. "I say may because there hasn’t been a lot of research on Satiereal and the results of the research that does exist are mixed," she says. Ansel notes that the dosage in the clinical trials was the equivalent of two full teaspoons of saffron, or the amount you'd use in 14 servings of paella—so it's questionable there's even enough Satiereal in these lollipops to have a true effect on appetite. (And before you start slamming down spoonfuls of the spice, keep in mind that consuming large doses of saffron has side effects that include insomnia, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.)

What's more, there's no way to know for sure whether Flat Tummy Co.'s products are safe. These lollipops are considered supplements, which are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Because many of these aren’t closely regulated it’s hard to know exactly what is in them," Ansel says.

Should you try these lollipops?

"I don’t ever recommend appetite suppressants for weight loss," Ansel says. "They don’t allow you to tap into your body’s feelings of fullness and satiety, which are key for maintaining a heathy body weight and eating habits. Products like this one are just another example of a quick fix mentality that ultimately backfires."

Gans agrees—there's no silver bullet when it comes to weight loss, she says. "Personally, I would never recommend these to a patient. For some people, it might be a helpful tool, but not for the average person," says Gans. "I recommend a total lifestyle change as opposed to reaching for a medication to suppress your appetite. I'd rather teach them about listening to their own hunger cues, incorporating mindful eating, and making their meals more satiating."

Prevention.com reached out to Flat Tummy Co. for comment, but as of press time, had not received a response.

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